Applications of Natural Language Processing for Industry 4.0 Skills Development

Due to changes in labor scenarios and new requirements in Industry 4.0, Higher Education Institutions are redesigning their study plans and incorporating tools to ensure quality development of the specialized skills of each discipline and the so-called “future skills Among these, digital literacy skills stand out because they allow people to reflect critically on digital information and its impact on society and work. This work-in-progress study discusses the definition of a theoretical model for developing Quality Digital Literacy Skills, the design of strategies for training two sub-competencies (information literacy and photo-visual literacy), and the use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools to measure the development of those skills. Preliminary findings showed the effectiveness of Active Learning experiences designed for lasting future skills and the selection of suitable assessment instruments based on international frameworks such as Education for Life and Work and the Digital Competency Framework for Citizens. The pilot tests with a machine learning platform confirm that NLP tools help reduce human appreciation biases in evaluating the performance level of students developing these digital literacy skills.